Johnny Marr slams use of The Smiths' music at Donald Trump rally: "Consider this s*** shut down right now"

24 January 2024, 10:56

Johnny Marr and Donald Trump
Johnny Marr and Donald Trump. Picture: 1. Matthew McNulty/Redferns/Getty 2. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

By Jenny Mensah

The former Smiths guitarist has reacted to the use of the Manchester band's Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want track.

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Johnny Marr is furious about the use of a Smiths song at a recent Donald Trump rally.

Footage emerged this week of the Manchester band's 1984 song Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want bring used at a South Dakota Republican rally last year.

Reacting to the clip on Twitter, Marr - who composed the song alongside Smiths frontman Morrissey - wrote: "I never in a million years would’ve thought this could come to pass. Consider this [redacted] shut right down right now.”

It's not the first time that artists have hit out at the use of their music at Trump rallies and events.

Everyone from the likes of The Rolling Stones to Linkin Park sent cease and desists to the former US President's campaign.

Johnny Marr has always been open about his distaste for certain politicians and back in 2010, he forbade then-UK Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party David Cameron from "liking The Smiths.

Revisiting that moment, he later told The Guardian: "I gave that about three seconds’ thought before I did it.

"I really was offended by his appropriation of the group, trying to be cool by association… He picked on the wrong person."

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